Page 47 of She Likes It, Hey Micah
My head is spinning too fast to make sense of this conversation. “Did you just say…hacked?” My yoga-doing, knit-wearing, ‘doesn’t like going downtown because of the surveillance cameras’ roommate is telling me he hacked my phone?
Kale speaks slowly. “Okay, your vibes just shifted. I probably shouldn’t have said that.”
“You didn’t hack my phone.” There’s no way.
He laughs nervously. “I did. I took a risk taking on a roommate, but you were so desperate. I had to make sure you weren’t dangerous.”
“But how could you—”
“You know my company does cyber security, right?”
I think my brain just snapped. “Your…company?” I would be convinced someone was messing with me and pretending to be my roommate if he didn’t sound so distinctly like himself.
“Considering you managed to build up a multi-million-dollar company, I thought you were smarter than this.”
So did I.Wait. “How do you know aboutmycompany?” I ask, then shake my head. “Never mind. Does that mean you know who I am?”
“I’ve known since the day I met you. Why do you think I told you I had a room to rent? You were clearly at rock bottom and needed some help.”
“Help from ahacker?”
He groans. “Don’t call me a…that’s not, like, athing. Technically I created my company to protect people from being hacked.”
“Because you’re a hacker.” I don’t even know why I’m arguing. I’m pretty sure I’ve hit the end of my rope for the day, and I should really just hang up and check out that corner room Micah was talking about. It’s not even four in the afternoon, but I’m ready to crash.
“Did you really call to tell me not to drive in the snow?” I ask.
“And to make sure you don’t do anything stupid with Micah.”
I’m pretty sure I never told Kale her name. I’ve been calling her the ‘woman at work’ as if that might help me keep her all to myself. “Kale,” I growl. “I’m not sure I’m comfortable with you knowing more than you should.” That’s putting it nicely. Right now, I’m tempted to look up whatever privacy laws might exist in the state so I can see if there’s a way to sue him for hacking my phone. I have a feeling he’s got more money than he pretends, and I could use some of that.
Kale hums. “You’re not all that threatening when I know you’ve made a list of things Micah likes, including her favorite time of day. You’re just a big softy under all that glare.”
I curse under my breath. He really did hack my phone.
“I know you like her,” Kale continues, “but she seems like the kind of girl you need to do things right with.”
“Now you’re giving me love advice?”
“Do you love her?”
“No.” But that word doesn’t taste right, like it’s close enough to a lie to have a bitter edge to it. I don’t love Micah—I don’t know her well enough for that—but I feel like each minute I spend with her pulls me closer to that conclusion. That’s not going to end well.
“I told myself I wasn’t going to get involved,” Kale says calmly, like this is a perfectly normal conversation. “But with the way you’ve been so wound up since your company imploded, I have a feeling you’re going to keep yourself from feeling anything. And she’s going to move on, just like she’s done with every other guy who’s fallen for her.”
“What guys?” I didn’t mean to ask that. I shouldn’t care who she dates because it doesn’t change my intentions. Or lack thereof. “Who’s fallen for her?”
Kale laughs. “Literally anyone who meets her falls in love with her. Honestly, I think I fell a little bit when I went out with her last week.”
I jump to my feet. “When youwhat?”
“Like I said. You have it bad. And I don’t blame you.”
“Kale, if I wasn’t stuck in the middle of a snowstorm right now, I would be strangling you.”
“Hmm, you do have big hands. And way more muscle than I expected from a business-type like you. I still think you should try adding some yoga to your workout routine so you don’t get too—”
“Kale.” I’m tempted to throw my phone across the room and convince Grant to buy me a new one since I certainly can’t afford it. “I am way too tired to deal with your nonsense right now.”
